Street children team for German tourney

The Mwanza-based Tanzania Street Children Sports Academy (TSC) will compete in an international youth soccer tournament in the German city of Wurzburg set for July 14 to August 5.

The championship organised by the German Football Federation is meant for players still Under-19.

TSC president Altaf Hirani said yesterday the academy will send a contingent of 20 players and four officials, with costs of the trip and accommodation to met by the hosts and the sports equipment giant, Adidas.

Hirani also said the trip will expose the youths to scouts from various areas as the tourney will also attract various European teams.

He named other youth teams as belonging to sports academies of well known sides like Basel FC of Switzerland , Maccabi Haifa (Israel), Hajduk Split (Croatia) as well as VFB Stuttgart, SC Freiberg, TSG Hoffenheim, FC Nuremberg, 1860Munich ,VFL Bochum, Karlsruhe SC and Spvgg Greuther Fuerth from the host country.

The trip will also strengthen relationship between the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) and the German Football Federation, he explained.

He said his team was being trained by former Tanzania Sports Academy coach Rogashian Kaijage.

TSC has produced talented players who turn for top local clubs such as Frank Sekule of Simba and other under-20 national team players Emily Mgeta and Carlos Protas.

TSC similarly emerged second in the World Street Children Championship held in South Africa last year.